Method of and apparatus for the construction of walls and similar forms



K. P. BILLNER KMay 10, 1938.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF WALLS AND SIMILAR FORMS`Filed July 2, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. M

May 10, 1938. K. P. BILLNER METHOD OF AND` APPARATUS FOR THECONSTRUCTION OF WALLS AND SIMILAR FORMS s sheets-sheet 2 Filed July 2,1956 INVENT OR.

Patented May 10, 1938 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OFWALLS AND SIMILAR FORMS Karl P. Billner, New York, N. Y.

Application July 2, 1936, Serial No. 88,665

4 Claims.

My invention relates to method of and apparatus for the construction ofwalls and similar forms of concrete or the like by the utilization ofsuction for the removal of excess water as dis- 5 closed in LettersPatent granted to me on July 7,

The object of my present invention is to very materially expedite theoperation of constructing a wall owing to the fact that the forms ormolds may be taken down in very much less time than is now possible. Atpresent it is necessary to keep the molds or forms in place for severaldays before the concrete has hardened sufficiently to permit suchremoval, the time depending upon the thickness of the walls, atmosphericconditions and other factors.

With my improvements In my patent above identified I point out that inthe molding or casting of concrete a large excess of water is requiredin order to make the mass suiiiciently plastic. of water, not requiredfor hydration, slowly Heretofore the excess passes out o'f the mass byevaporation leaving behind minute voids which are a source of weaknessin the concrete.

Also the evaporation of the excess water frequently results in settingup internal stressescausing objectionable cracking.

With my improved vacuum treatment disclosed in said patent I apply apowerful suction to the surface of the concrete, whereby excess water isdrawn out from the interior of the mass and at the same time acomplementary atmospheric pressure is applied to consolidate the massand thereby close any voids left by the removed Water.

Thus, if a vacuum of twenty inches of mercury is applied the resultingpressure imposed upon the mass will be more than 1400 pounds per squarefoot.

I will describe my present improvements in connection with theconstruction of vertical walls or the like of three types, rst a doublewall with a filling of a cheap insulating material like ashes, second, asolid wall, and third, a light double wall with an interior air space,and I will also explain how molds or forms of a cheap material likepaper may be used.

In order that my invention may be better understood attention isdirected to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification and in which Figure l is a top view of a vertical doublewall, illustrating a construction wherein ashes or other 5 cheapmaterial is'introduced into the space within the wall before the pouringof the concrete and showing one complete suction outt for each wallsection.

Figure 2 is a sectional View on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial vertical section of a portion of Figure 2 showingthe suction mat, filter cloth, water channels, sealing grooves and oneof the suction cups. 15

Figure 4 is a top View of a double wall similar to that shown in Figurel except that the ashes or other material is introduced within the wallafter the concrete has been poured, before or after the suctiontreatment.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section of an improved double wall with an airinterspace showing the same before the completion of the constructionaloperations.

Figure 6 a section on the line 6--6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 a horizontal section of the completed double wall.

Figure 8 an enlarged sectional view on the line 8--8 of Figure 6illustrating in dotted lines the manner of removing the spacingchannels.

Figure 9 a sectional View on the same scale as Figure 8 taken verticallyon the midsection of the spacing channels.

Figure 10 a top view illustrating the construction of a solid verticalwall by means of molds of c; corrugated paper or paper board.

Figure 11 a side view of the same partly in section.

Figure 12 a bottom view of the corrugated paper suction mat employed forprocessing one of the faces of the wall of Figure l0.

Figure 13 is a section on the line I3-l3 of Figure 12 looking in thedirection of the arrows, and

Figure 14 isa section on` the line Ill- I4 of Figure 12 looking in thedirection of the arrows. 45

In the above views corresponding parts are indicated by the samenumerals, unless otherwise indicated.

Referring rst to Figures l, 2 and 3, I show at l a vertical standard orpost, preferably of wood 50 at the corner of the wall and intermediatewooden uprights 2 2. A vertical sheet of paper or other cheap material 3is stretched as shown with respect to the corner I and uprights 2, beingsecured thereto by wooden strips 4 nailed inplace. 55

A similar paper or like sheet is stretched around outside of the cornerI and uprights 2 as indicated by 5, being held in place by strips 6. Atsuitable Points, as in 'Figure 2, I introduce through the sheets 3 and 5a series of metal bolts 1 which are formed at one end with an eye asshown, the eye at the other end being formed after the bolts have beenintroduced in place. the eyes of the bolts at one end I pass continuousreinforcing rods l, similar rods 9 being passed through the eyes of thebolts at the other end. These reinforcing rods are shown clearly inFigures l and 3. Thus far it will be seen that two vertical sheets ofpaper or similar material have been set up and between them is nowintroduced a mass Il of ashes or similar material, thus causing thesheets to expand outwardly to a slight extent, `as shown in Figure 1.

I now set up vertical forms outside the sheets 3 and 5 and asumcientvdistance therefrom to provide the desired thickness of concertefor the wall sections. In Figures 1 and 2, I show mats I I as in saidpatent, faced with filter cloth I2 and provided with vertical waterchannels I3 and sealing channels I4 at right angles thereto, all as Ihave described in detail in my said patent.

Any desired number of suction cups I5 may be applied to draw out thewater from the mass, these suction cups connecting by a pipe I6 to asuitable vacuum tank in which water may accumulate and which in turn isconnected to a suitable power driven air pump. The vacuum tank and pumpare not here shown but are illustrated in my patent. The mat II ispreferably strengthened by a suitable frame preferably of wood,comprising vertical and horizontal members Il and I3, respectively, andthe mats in turn are held in proper alignment and prevented from movingoutwardly by light I-beams 'I3 temporarily held together by hookedmembers 20, here shown as turn buckles although this renement is notnecessary.

Having set up the suction mats and properly spaced them the requireddistance from the sheets 3 and 5 the concrete with the required excesswater to give plasticity is poured into the space' 'between the suctionmats and sheets 3 and 5.

After the concrete has been thus poured, the suction pump is started andthe excess water is removed from within the mass. Such /an operation mayrequire an hour or less depending upon the thickness of the massundergoing treatment and the degree of vacuum used.

If at least sufficient water has been removed to ymake the concrete massself-sustaining the suction is stopped, the I-beams I3 lifted off andthe suction cups removed.- The suction mat will therefore be immediatelyavailable for further use, instead of being required to stand forseveral days as would be the case withA concrete forms under oldconditions.

It is desirable to apply a relatively powerful suction to remove asubstantial part of the excess water because in this way the operationwill not only be facilitated but a very heavy compacting pressure'willbe imposed upon the mass. If, for example, a vacuum equal to 20 inchesof mercury is used the compacting pressure on the concrete will be morethan 1400 pounds per square foot. It will be seen that an equal pressurewill be imposed upon the innerl faces of the concrete mass by the sheets3 and 5.

My observation has been that it is desirable to remove excess water andcomplete the operation of pressing the concrete prior to actual set-Through ting, because if a heavy compression is applied after theconcrete begins to set, it is likely to produce weakness instead ofstrength. Therefore, I prefer to employ a suction equal at least to oneinch of mercury for each inch in thickness of the concrete. Beyond thisminimum improved results are progressively secured as the degree ofvacuum is increased.

Referring to Figure 4 here a wall is shown constructed as in Figure 1,except that the concrete mass is first poured causing the sheets 3 and 5to curve inwardly as shown, after which the ashes or other material I0is introduced.

Referring now to Figures 5 to 9 inclusive, I here show what I call aiight wall construction, namely, a double vertical wall with an airinterspace. Vertical sheets 28 and 29 are stretched over shallowchannels 30 and 3l, whose side flanges are bent slightly inwards to theform shown in Figure 8. In order to hold the spacing channels together,I employ a flat metal strip 32 having angles 33 straddling the upperends of the spacing channels. In lieu of the eye bolts I of Figure 2, Iemploy pointed threaded bolts 35 punched through the paper sheets andeach receiving a nut 36 over its pointed end. These act as rigidsupports between the wall sections as shown in Figure '7. If desired thewebs of the channels 30-3I may be formed with shallow grooves 3l toreceive the shanks of the bolts 35. (See Figure 9.) l

Having set up suitable suction forms or mats spaced a proper distancefrom the sheets 28 and 29 as in Figure 2, the concrete wall sections 39and 40 are poured and subjected to vacuum to remove the excess watertherefrom. After the vacuum treatment, the outer forms or suction matsare removed, the plate 32 is lifted o and the channels 30, 3| are cantedout as shown in dotted lines (Figure 8). The resulting completed wall isshown in section (Figure 9) and comprises the two wall sections rigidlyconnected together by the numerous bolts 35.

Obviously the sheets 28 and 29 will remain as part of the finished walland these sheets can conveniently be made of water-proof paper to insureadditional dryness. 'I'he interspace between the walls serves not onlyto improve insulation from heat and cold but also `may accommodatepiping and wiring.

Referring lastly to Figures to 14 inclusive, I here show a solid wallconstruction and illustrate how heavy waterproof paper or sheets of someother kind of flexible material may be used as mats for carrying out thevacuum process. I here illustrate the wall as being formed of a sectionbetween uprights 4I and 42, which may be any desired distance apart.

In using the apparatus shown in Figures 10 to 14 inclusive the cementmixture is poured into the space between the two corrugated mats afterwhich suction is applied to draw off the excess water. The corrugatedpaper or paper board mat- 43 is secured at its ends to the posts 4I and42 and comprises channels 44 for carrying off the water and sealingchannels 45 and 46 extending at right angles thereto. As shown in Figure12 the water channels 44 are arranged vertically while the sealingchannels 45 are shown as being horizontal, but obviously the reversearrangement may be employed.

The sealing channels 46 at each end, are shown as being parallel withthe grooves 46 but these latter grooves act as sealing channels for thereason that they are not intercepted by or connected to the conduits46a. As shown in Figure 12 these larger conduits 46a are shown as beingconnected with vertical conduits 4Gb which are formed with suction holes41 to which suction is applied.

The entire mat of corrugated paper or other flexible material is securedto a foundation sheet 48 having extensions 49 by means of which the matsare nailed or otherwise secured to the uprights 4I and 42. In order tosupport the corrugated mats I make use of channels 50 held againstoutward strains by the connectors I, here shown as turnbuckles. InFigure I show the suction cups 52 which engage over the suction holes4l. A lter cloth 53, as shown in Figure 11, engages the inner faces ofthe corrugated mats and prevents particles of cement from being carriedoft With the water. This cloth also acts to give to the finished wall arelatively smooth surface because without it the corrugations of the matwould impart a fiuted surface to the wall.

Mats made of corrugated paper as I have described are extremely cheapand if carefully handled may be used more than once.

It will be understood of course that these paper mats may be usedinstead of the rigid forms re- 4ferred to in connection with Figures 1to 9 inclusive and that rigid mats as shown in Figure 2 may be employedfor building the solid wall of Figure 10. It will also he understoodthat suction mats made of paper or paper board may be employed for thetreatment of concrete generally, without limitation to the treatment ofconcrete walls or the like.

Having now described my invention what I uprights, then in stretchingacross such uprights i two sheets of thin impervious material, then inerecting opposite and separated from the outer faces of said sheetsvertical forms provided with suction surfaces, then in castingA betweeneach sheet and its associated form a mass of concrete having an excessof water to secure plasticity and finally in applying suction throughthe suction surfaces to each mass of concrete to remove excess watertherefrom, whereby a heavy consolidating pressure will be imposed uponeach mass.

3. Apparatus for forming hollow `walls or the like comprising incombination, vertical uprights, sheets of thin impervious materialstretched across such uprights in substantially parallel relationship,two forms spaced apart from the exposed faces of said sheets and meansfor applying a powerful suction to the inner surfaces of said forms.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the sheets are sheets ciimpervious paper.

KARLP.

